Paws2Read encourages kids to read with the help of four-legged friends: M. Diane McCormick

"It's better with a dog. You get someone to read with." -- Rachael Adesina

If I had a dog, I'd read to it.

But I have cats, and they just don't seem interested in the sound
of my voice, no matter how loudly I yell, "Bubba, get off the counter!"

Ah, but dogs – they appreciate a good story.

That's certainly how the children in Dauphin County Library System's Paws2Read see things. In this program, children get one-on-one time, reading
to specially trained dogs.

"The children are so worried about picking a book that the
dog will like, and they're serious," says DCLS' Ellen Miller, a program
coordinator. "They're concerned that if they don't finish the book, the dog won't
know how it ends, and again, they're serious. They're very earnest in this."

Gabriel Bloom, 11, of Linglestown, reads to Devan, the 104-pound Irish setter. Through Paws2Read at East Shore Area Library, children build their reading skills by reading to dogs. M. Diane McCormick

Paws2Read is only two years old within the Dauphin County
Library System, but it's already expanded from a summer to a nearly year-round
program. Summer sessions filled up weekly with 18 children at a time, looking
for their chance to read to a furry, nonjudgmental partner.

I was getting the lowdown from Miller, down in the basement
of the East Shore Area Library in Lower Paxton Twp. where sessions are held, when a small horse suddenly appeared beside
me.

Okay, I lie. But I could probably find a saddle to fit Devan,
the 104-pound Irish setter. Devan started his public-service career as a
nursing-home companion, but he just didn't seem interested, said owner Deb
Dalkiewicz, of Linglestown. But hanging around kids, he was a "totally
different dog," so a canine reading therapist was born.

"You can't beat a dog for not judging you, not interrupting
you," said Dalkiewicz. "They're very good listeners. Especially for a reluctant
reader, it's very attractive. They don't tell them they're doing it wrong. They
don't complain. The worst thing they can do is fall asleep."

Gabriel Bloom, 11, got to read Devan this night.

"I like that he's a nice big dog, and he can sometimes stay
still," said Gabe, of LInglestown. "And I had the book open, and I was reading this
page, and he went and pawed the page like 'Hey, turn the page.'"

Rachael Adesina, entering fifth grade this year, says it's
cool to read to dogs because "they're listening." She got to give a treat to the
sweet-tempered Dazzle, a yellow lab-border collie mix owned by Gigi Jantos of
New Cumberland.

"It's better with a dog," Rachael said. "You get someone to
read with."

Devan's opposite in size, but equal in spirit, was Petey,
the tiny, exuberant Maltese poodle. Petey's owner, Maureen Mashas, is also a certified
speech therapist at Paxtang and Rutherford elementary schools who founded Paws2Read.
On this night, she and Petey combined speech therapy with dog-reading for Jen
Koonz's 6-year-old daughter, Lauren.

Lauren's 8-year-old sister Morgan was pleased to report on her
little sister's progress.

"Lauren's gotten really good at her reading so far," said
the proud big sister. "Really good."

Coming to Paws2Read is "kind of fun, because I like puppies,"
Morgan said, "and we're going to get one."

I looked toward Morgan's mom. Really? Yes, Koonz said. Quite
likely.

"We're going to have a girl cat and a boy dog," Lauren shared.

Good luck reading to the cat. But, I asked their mom, will the
girls read to the dog?